Neufeld says more than 100,000 to be disenfranchised under feds’ election bill, will testify at House Affairs Committee next week
PARLIAMENT HILL—The opposition parties have former B.C. elections chief Harry Neufeld at the top of their witness lists for testimony on proposed Conservative election law after he warned that “well over 100,000” electors will be denied their right to vote if the government goes ahead with plans to prohibit voter vouching for electors with no […]
Page to join Mulcair in Yukon to talk about public finance, democracy in Canada
PARLIAMENT HILL—Former Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page, who took the government to court over its refusal to hand over details of federal spending cuts before his controversial term ended last year, is joining NDP Leader Tom Mulcair this week for a public airing of “public finance and democracy in Canada.” A spokesman for Mr. […]
Filibuster champion, Christopherson says it’s akin to playing ‘high-risk poker’
NDP MP David Christopherson says his recent nine-hour filibustering experience at the Procedure and House Affairs Committee which delayed study of the Fair Elections Act for three meetings, was like playing “high-risk poker,” and he’s satisfied with what his efforts achieved. “Our tools are limited as an opposition, but we do have some means, and […]
NDP won’t back down on denying committee travel
The NDP isn’t backing down after denying funding for House committees to travel in protest of the Conservatives’ election law, a move that’s frustrating Commons committee chairs. A House subcommittee approved almost $500,000 for proposed committee travel that’s now in jeopardy after the NDP recently blocked Government Whip John Duncan’s (Vancouver Island North, B.C.) Feb. […]
Harper says Mulcair has ‘conspiracy theories’ on elections overhaul bill
PARLIAMENT HILL—Prime Minister Stephen Harper has stepped up attempts to brand NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair as a paranoid “conspiracy” theorist for arguing legislation the government is promoting as a “Fair Elections Act” intended to improve federal election law is actually designed to benefit the Conservative party as Canada heads toward a 2015 general election. […]
Courts will have to decide if Elections Canada CEO can be ‘muzzled,’ say experts
PARLIAMENT HILL—Elections Canada and critics of proposed government legislation that will restrict communications between the chief electoral officer and the electorate say the measure will also limit information the chief electoral officer will be able to distribute to news media. A source told The Hill Times the electoral agency remains concerned despite assurances Minister […]
Mulcair says NDP to run 338 candidates in next election, sets sights on Toronto’s suburbs, Eastern Canada
MONTREAL—As the NDP wrapped up its policy convention in Montreal on Sunday, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said there will be 338 candidates in 338 ridings in the 2015 election with an eye to winning government by continuing to mobilize the grassroots social democratic movement across the country. Mr. Mulcair (Outremont, Que.) told reporters that the […]
NDP says its policies will win over more voters, tout its growth in membership
MONTREAL—NDP MPs say the party’s resolutions, officially approved by nearly 2,000 delegates at its policy convention in Montreal, will become party policy and eventually the building blocks to winning the next federal election in 2015. NDP House Leader Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley, B.C.) said he thinks the resolutions will “absolutely” help the party win […]
NDP MPs dismiss poll showing Liberals ahead of Conservatives, say voters want substance, not ‘fluff,’ a dig at Trudeau
MONTREAL—New Democrat MPs are brushing off a recent poll showing the federal Liberal Party polling ahead of not only their party, but the majority-governing Conservative Party for the first time in years. “I try not pay too much attention to polls. I think it’s only natural that in the weekend of their leadership that […]
Former Obama adviser tells NDP to build strong ground game, meaningful relationships with voters, and Moneyball-style analytics to win election
MONTREAL—Traditional campaigns treat voters like political consumers, but in the 21st century, political parties need to use all means possible to engage voters as citizens in a “meaningful way,” and the ground game in the 2015 Canadian federal election campaign will be the difference between the NDP “getting close” to government and forming government, […]
